Mass Transfer
by ssbailey
Summary: After witnessing something she wished she had not, JJ takes Strauss and SSA Katie Cole up on a offer that could change her life forever.' Co-written with kdzl. JJ/H angst until the last few chapters
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: So here's yet another one of our JJ/Hotch collaborations. :) BUT it won't be JJ/Hotch until the end—sorry! We hope you still like it anyways!**

**Chapter One**

JJ wasn't sure why she felt a sudden pang of longing as she watched her boss talk to an unknown woman on the phone. She was, after all, happy. Wasn't she? She wasn't sure now, as she saw the Unit Chief laugh heartily at whatever the woman was saying. She knew that after his divorce he would eventually find someone, but she didn't know it would be so soon.

Another thing she really wasn't sure of was why she was hiding behind a menu--even though she already had her take out order in hand--just so she could listen to Hotch on the phone. Why couldn't she just walk away?

_"Hey there. Yeah I just got here. Where are you?" Hotch asked, smiling slightly as he was seated at a small table near the bar._

_"I'm almost there, only about two blocks away." Valerie--Hotch's girlfriend--answered sweetly. "I got caught up in traffic."_

_"That's the beauty of being an FBI agent, I never have to wait in traffic." Hotch said teasingly._

_"The rule-abiding Aaron Hotchner, suggesting he did something unethical? I don't believe it." Valerie retorted._

_"Okay, well maybe I don't do that." Hotch admitted, "but I would if it would have made me late."_

_"Sure. I'll be there in a minute." Valerie chuckled._

A few minutes later a beautiful woman with dark blonde hair entered the small Thai restaurant, and when she made a beeline for Hotch's table JJ knew what was coming, but she couldn't make herself turn away any more than she could have ten minutes before. Watching the happy couple kiss nearly brought tears to her eyes--and she was starting to understand why she was feeling the way she was--and she finally managed to grab her take out and leave the restaurant unnoticed by either Hotch or his girlfriend.

She clenched the steering wheel tightly the entire ride home, anger building each time she relived the side of the conversation that she was able to hear and as she remembered the look on Hotch's face as _Valerie_ walked in the room.

"Why does this make me so angry?" She asked herself, though alone in the car. Her mind raced. She was happy. Not only was she happy, she was _involved_. With someone else. Why should it bother her that Hotch was dating someone? That question kept tumbling over in her mind.

* * *

By the time the sun rose the next morning JJ had been awake nearly two hours, and had already showered and dressed for work--hoping it would get her mind of these new feelings that had suddenly developed for her boss. Leaving a note for Will that she had already left for work, JJ kissed a sleeping Henry and headed off to another day at the BAU.

Making her way into the building she wasn't surprised to see the night security guard--Paul--still on duty.

"Hey JJ, you guys catch a case?" Paul asked as she stepped through the metal detector and let her bag go through the scanner.

"No." JJ answered, her mind elsewhere. _Please don't let him be here already._ JJ thought, suddenly remembering that Hotch often came in early.

"Then why are you here at 5:20 in the morning?" Paul asked as he handed her back her bag and gun--clearing her to enter the building completely. "Your boss isn't even here yet."

"Hotch?" JJ asked, and felt relief rush through her when Paul nodded. "Oh, well he needs to sleep in every now and then."

"Is everything okay JJ?"

"Oh yeah, of course it is." JJ lied, giving her best fake smile. "I just couldn't sleep last night for some reason so I thought I would come catch up on some paperwork. I'll see you later Paul." JJ continued, making her way towards the elevators.

"Bye." Paul called after her though she didn't hear him. Instead, her thoughts were focused on the dark haired boss that she prayed to avoid all day.

JJ tried to bury herself in her work, but she was rudely interrupted as Emily burst into her office. "I think the world has come to an end." She said slightly dramatically.

"What?" JJ asked, looking up from the file she was studying.

"I just saw Hotch--coming in late, I might add--humming to himself. Then he said, and I quote, 'How are you, Emily?'." Emily informed her.

"Wait, has he _ever_ called you Emily?"

"To my knowledge....no. It's always Prentiss--I think it helps him to think of me as one of the boys before he sends me alongside Morgan to take down the UnSub." Emily admitted.

"Weird." JJ said thoughtfully.

"I know. I think our boss finally got a lady friend."

JJ felt her heart sink, but why should it? She was still dating Will. She was _living_ with Will. She and Will had a son together. She had no right to feel upset over Hotch's love life. She was saved from answering when her desk phone rang. Mouthing her apologies to Emily, she answered, "Agent Jareau."

"Agent Jareau this is Section Chief Strauss, I need to see you in my office immediately."

"I am on my way, ma'am." JJ answered, her mind running a mile a minute wondering what the 'BAU Banshee' could want with her.

"See to it that you are, Agent." Strauss replied, hanging up.

Hanging up the phone, JJ couldn't keep the confused look off her face.

"Who was that?" Emily asked, "Was it about a case?"

"No. No it wasn't about a case." JJ sighed, making her way out of her office leaving behind a bewildered Emily, "Strauss needs to see me for some reason. Can you tell Hotch and Rossi where I went if I'm not back before the briefing?"

"Sure JJ." Emily answered, making her way out of JJ's office as well.

Entering the Section Chief's office, JJ took a deep breath. She had never liked the older woman, but refused to allow herself to be unprofessional. "Agent Jareau, thanks for coming so quickly. I have a unique request." Strauss said, getting down to business.

"Okay?" JJ said curiously.

"I believe that you've worked with SSAIC Katie Cole from the Crimes Against Children Unit," Strauss began, and seeing the look of recognition in JJ's eyes continued, "She has requested your help in a local case involving child trafficking."

"Why didn't the request come through official channels?" JJ asked curiously. If the CAC wanted help, they could have just called her office.

"Because they don't want the team, though if your team doesn't have anything better to do they could assist you. Agent Cole has requested _your personal_ assistance."

"Oh. Of course ma'am." JJ said curiously.

"Well then, let me give you the case file and brief you with the details as I understand them." Strauss informed her.

* * *

"Where's JJ, were we supposed to start this briefing?" Morgan said slightly put out that JJ was late.

"Because you are always on time." Reid scoffed slightly.

"She's probably still stuck in her meeting with Strauss." Emily informed the group, and pointed at the files neatly stacked on the conference table, "But she had the presentation ready."

Picking up the file, Rossi grimaced slightly as he saw the pictures of the victims. "Skinned alive? This is going to be a bad one."

"We'll brief on the plane. Wheels up in twenty." Hotch informed the group.

"Hey, sorry I'm late." JJ apologized as she breezed into the room. "I won't be going with you to Idaho for the case."

"Why not?" Hotch asked, slightly angry that Strauss had pulled JJ into something without going through the proper channels--and that Strauss seemed to be interfering with the team yet again.

"I'm being temporarily transferred to the Crimes Against Children Unit by personal request of SSA Katie Cole to help them stop a child trafficking ring here in DC." JJ informed, motioning for a older male agent to enter the conference room, "This is SSA John Wilbanks, he'll be working with you until the CAC close the child trafficking case."

Hotch was cut off from inquiring further by his cell phone that buzzed. _Valerie._ "I have to take this call, but JJ, I'm going to need to speak with you when we get back." He motioned to the team as he left the room.

* * *

JJ was infinitely grateful that she had been discouraged at the last minute from going to Idaho. Not only was she able to more effectively avoid the Unit Chief that seemed to occupy her thoughts of late, but she found a large amount of satisfaction working with the CAC.

"Hey JJ there's a call for you from Quantico on line one!" SSA Amanda Rodgers yelled from her desk over to where JJ was standing, "It's Garcia, she says it's urgent."

"Thanks, I got it!" JJ called back, picking up her desk phone, "Hey Pen, what's up?"

"What's up?! I haven't seen or talked to you in over a week and all you can say is 'What's up?'?!" Garcia asked incredulously, "I mean first Hotch turns into this angry you know what and then you move off to Maryland without so much as a e-mail."

"What's up with Hotch? And I'm only an hour from you, Baltimore's not really that far." JJ pointed out, "Besides don't think I forgot about you promising to watch Henry Saturday night."

"Oh make sure he has on his leather jacket on Saturday so he can go out to eat with Morgan and I." Garcia reminded, "And get this, the boss man made Emily redo one of her consults because she had a few run on sentences. I think you broke him when you told us Strauss was sending you all the way to our fair Baltimore."

"You're not using my five month old to pick up dates, Garcia." JJ informed, laughing, "And don't worry about Hotch, he'll get over it. Just tell Em to take her consults to Dave instead."

"Will do sugar muffin, now I do have news for you about that surveillance footage you wanted me to look at", Garcia said, her tone suddenly all business, "It looks like everyone's favorite Congressman was caught on candid camera exiting the Pine Tree Motel just after 9pm, but his aide--Russell Wells--didn't leave until almost two hours later."

"Too bad just going to a motel isn't enough for a warrant." JJ sighed sadly, they had been watching the Pine Tree Motel for the last four days on a tip from an informant, but the only thing people seemed to go to this motel for was sex--the legal kind, from what they could tell anyways. "Thanks for trying Garcia. I owe you."

"That you do sugar cake. Garcia out!" JJ laughed as her friend ended the call.

JJ sighed, not wanting to return to her old time friend and reporter for the DC Times. He had already given her more information than they had gotten from anything else, and he was putting his own neck on the line.

"Hey Paul, it's JJ. I'm gonna need another favor..."

* * *

**A/N 2: So—continue or not to continue? That is the question.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: Okay, I know I told some people that we were going to change the informant's name—but we decided to just leave it because this is the last chapter he'll be mentioned in. Also, thanks for all the lovely reviews! We appreciate them! :)**

**Chapter 2**

"JJ, how do you know this guy?" Amanda said gratefully as they checked out another lead. JJ's informant had given the team more breaks in the investigation than they had gotten from any other source.

"He's an old friend from college." JJ admitted, then grimaced as she looked at the caller id to show the reason for her phone's incessant buzzing. _Will. _Hitting ignore to silence the annoying phone, JJ immediately returned to going over the bank accounts currently pulled up on her screen. "Okay so we've got a withdrawal for $20,000 in December and then two months later there's a deposit of the same amount. Then on March 31st..."

"JJ, why didn't you answer the phone?" Amanda asked, interrupting, "You never answer for Will, your boyfriend, but if any members of the BAU call you can't get to the phone fast enough."

"I'll call him back, we're working." JJ dismissed, "Besides if it was about Henry or something important he would leave a message."

"Seems to me that you've already decided you don't want to be with him." Amanda observed.

"What?" JJ asked quickly and added, "of course I want to be with him."

"Think about it. If you really loved this guy, you would answer his calls. You would go home from work on time. You would make an effort to keep your home life a major part of your life." Amanda pointed out.

"So?" JJ asked disbelievingly, "I have a _son_ with him."

"You love your son, so you do go home, but you don't seem excited to see the boyfriend at all."

JJ shook her head. "And here I thought that by working with someone other than the team I'd have a moment free from being profiled." JJ teased.

"I don't need to be a profiler to be perceptive." Amanda retorted. "Seriously JJ, don't string the poor guy along if you don't want to be with him anymore. He doesn't deserve that."

"I know." JJ sighed, "But what about Henry? My parents got divorced when I was in high school and it was really hard on me and my sister, Henry's only a baby--how hard is that going to make it on him when we break up?"

"Kids are resiliant. Just because you guys break up, doesn't mean that both of you can't be there for your son." Amanda informed, "When my ex and I split up I thought it was the end of the world, you know that us not being together meant that Maya was going to turn out to be the next Dahmer or something. That was three years ago, and she's just a normal five year old little girl--no sociopathic tendencies, I promise."

JJ sighed, Amanda was right, stringing Will along while she didn't have feelings for him was cruel. But one nagging doubt remained, "But all relationships fluctuate. Maybe we're just going through a rough patch."

"Maybe, but have you _ever_ let him in? Have you _ever_ really wanted to be with him?" She asked.

JJ suddenly knew what she had to do. She had to break up with Will.

* * *

"Wilbanks--what did you do?" Hotch asked angrily as he strode into the conference room at the small town precinct.

"I released the information like you asked." The agent defended, slightly terrified at the presence of an angry Aaron Hotchner.

"You released parts of the profile that were not supposed to be leaked to the press. We need this UnSub to think that we're too far behind. You have seriously impeded the integrity of this investigation."

"In my defense sir, you, nor anyone else on this team, informed me to with hold any piece of the profile." Wilbanks argued, he wasn't about to get in trouble for something he had not known about, "If they had, I would have."

Fighting the lingering doubt that the temporary press liaison was telling the truth, Hotch answered, "Be that as it may this will be your last case with us. For the BAU to work we have to work as a team, which is something you have failed to attempt to do since your arrival. I have not personally witnessed you make one attempt to befriend, or even speak to when you did not have to, a member of this team."

"Only because since I have been working with this unit, this entire team has never let me forget that I am not their beloved Agent Jareau." Wilbanks snapped, "I am not her, and she's not coming back--and all of you need to deal with that."

"What do you mean she's not coming back?" Hotch asked coldly.

"Strauss told me to prepare to get integrated into the team, that soon this position would be open and I was next in line for the promotion, but I am now sure that I _don't_ want it." Wilbanks informed him.

Hotch stood dumbfounded as the younger agent spun on his heels out of the room. He had no idea why JJ would leave the team, she seemed happy enough. As soon as the team got back to Quanitco, he resolved, he would get to the bottom of this.

* * *

"So, JJ, have you ever thought about joining the CAC?" Katie Cole asked conversationally. The entire CAC team had decided to go out for lunch together to take a break from the case for a little while.

"Um, I haven't ever really thought about it. I like where I'm at, so I haven't really ever considered any alternatives." JJ admitted, eyeing the older woman curiously.

"Well if you ever do change your mind, we'd love to have you stay here with us." Katie informed, "Not to mention I think you may be the first person to ever tell Strauss where she could stick it and get away with it."

"Oh God." JJ groaned, she had not purposely yelled at the Section Chief--not that it didn't feel good to finally tell Strauss exactly how she felt. "I'm sorry, but it was just the last straw when she held that press conference yesterday about _our _case and didn't think she should ask us if that was okay or not."

Katie laughed, but was stopped from replying when JJ's cell phone buzzed loudly. _Paul. _"Agent Jareau"

"Jayje, I think I know who's the main guy that you're looking for." JJ's informant whispered, "Look into Judge William Hastings whereabouts for the last 48 hours and you'll see what I mean."

"Are you sure?" JJ asked, surprised at the information she was getting.

"Trust me." He assured. "Look into him, and you'll find what you're looking for."

* * *

"I don't think I've ever been so glad to be home before." Morgan mused as the team flooded back into the bull pen. "Where's Hotch?"

"Garcia told me JJ's case with the CAC ended last night" Emily supplied, "Maybe he went to talk to her?"

"Yeah, maybe." Rossi answered, not letting on that he had overheard what SSA Wilbanks had said about JJ leaving--she would tell them in her own time if she really wanted to leave the BAU, it wasn't his business to start that kind of rumor.

--

"JJ I need to speak with you for a moment." Hotch stated, strolling into her office to find both her and SSA Katie Cole pouring over files. "Katie? What are you doing here, I thought your case ended last night."

"It did." JJ spoke up, careful not to move her right arm too much. She had only been grazed, but she was still pretty sore. "We have another problem, we were just waiting on the team to get here to start the briefing."

"Can it not wait until tomorrow?" Hotch asked skeptically, "We've been gone over two weeks."

"Aaron do you remember the last case we worked together while I was still in the BAU?" Katie Cole asked.

"The serial rapist in Boston?"

"No, the one right after that. The one in South Carolina." Katie informed solemnly. When a look of recognition passed over his face, she continued, "The police in Columbia just found another body that fits his MO--branded, tortured and raped for what looks like months before he finally strangled her."

"So your telling me that after fifteen years The Five Fold Killer has started killing again?" Hotch asked seriously.

"That's exactly what we're saying, Aaron." Katie sighed sadly, "They originally thought it was a copycat, but I asked them to fax me the case file anyways--just to be sure. It's too perfect not to be him, there's too many things he did that we never released to the press--and we never told the public exactly what the brand on the victims stomach's looked like, only that they were branded with the Celtic five fold symbol. The brand on the newest victim--Marsha Coen, 19--matches the ones from the previous case exactly."

Making a quick decision, Hotch commanded, "Katie, could you brief the team? I really need to speak with Agent Jareau privately."

"Sure." Katie said, knowing exactly the reason that Hotch wanted to talk to JJ, but also knowing the blonde had no idea where it was coming from. Hopefully Hotch would botch his working relationship with his coworker so that it would make her job easier.

JJ followed Hotch curiously to his office, completely oblivious to why he wanted to talk with her, and completely baffled as to why he just called her 'Agent Jareau'. It wasn't her fault that Strauss had temporarily reassigned her, and she would have taken this next case with the CAC regardless of whether she had just been working with them. It also wasn't her fault that she had somewhat enjoyed not having to worry about being around her attractive superior for the last two weeks or having to see him talk with his new girlfriend. Closing the office door behind her, she had barely a moment to prepare herself before he began.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were sneaking around behind my back?" Hotch asked coldly, his eyes full of anger.

"What?" JJ asked dumbfounded.

"I know that you're not planning on returning to the team. I know that you misrepresented yourself not only to me but to the other members of this team. How long have you been going behind my back?" Hotch accused.

"I'm sorry _sir_" JJ spat, never having used the formal address for him before, but furious at the verbal onslaught she was receiving, "but I have no idea what you're talking about and I refuse to allow you to make accusations when I haven't done anything wrong. Now if you'll excuse me, I have _work_ to do."

Spinning on her heels, she opened the office door only to find Hotch's girlfriend ready to knock on the other side. Glancing quickly back at her supervisor, JJ strode confidently out of the office and towards the conference room where the rest of the team were currently pouring over three boxes worth of case files.

"Valerie what are you doing here?" Hotch asked, still angry at the situation with JJ.

"I haven't seen you in two weeks and you told me that you were coming home today, so I thought I would come and surprise you for lunch." Valerie explained, "But it looks like I interrupted something. I'll just go."

"No, Valerie wait. I'm sorry, but we just caught another case--a pretty bad one. I have to leave again." Hotch explained apologetically, "Can we take a rain check on lunch?"

"Where are you going this time?" Valerie sighed sadly. "We've been dating six months and this is the quickest turn around you've had the whole time. Is there something going on I should know about?"

"What? No, nothing's going on. One of our old cases just got reopened in South Carolina, that's all." Hotch reassured.

"Promise?"

"Of course." Hotch nodded, "I need to get to the briefing, but I'll call you before we leave okay?"

"Yeah, okay." Valerie nodded, exiting the office, "Be careful."

* * *

"Victim's four, five, and six were all found buried in the Harbison State Forest, all between the ages of 15 and 20. So far no discernable pattern has been determined about the victim's except that they are all female and they all fall into that age range." JJ explained, trying not to let her anger at Hotch spill out into the briefing that she had just taken over.

"So the first three victims were found in the Congaree River, and then he moved dumpsites to the state forest for the next three? It doesn't make sense." Morgan argued, "Why change where you dump the bodies if you don't have to?"

"We never figured that part out since we didn't get called in until the ninth victim surfaced in Riverfront Park near the canal spillway." Katie explained, "The only way that we were even able to determine that this was the same killer was the brand on their stomachs."

"The Celtic five fold symbol is said to represent balance. Each part of the symbol is said to represent a specific element, cardinal direction, and season all meeting in the center to create the supposed fifth element which is said to be the unified powers of each of the other four parts." Reid explained, "Celtic mythology also states that it was believed that only a truly balanced person could tap into the power of the fifth element."

"So this guy is Celtic?" Emily asked.

"Not necessarily." Reid corrected her, "Anyone can look up a symbol and it's meaning on the internet."

"What if he moved the bodies because he's trying to place them in the different elements, fulfilling the mythology and trying to be balanced. Like three is an important number right?" JJ asked, spit balling slightly. She had always felt comfortable sharing random theories with the group--every once in a while, they could be helpful.

"Agent Jareau, you're not a profiler." Hotch said coldly, ignoring the shocked expressions of everyone else in the room. Hotch had never before put himself above any member of the team, but telling JJ that she couldn't help with the profile was like telling Reid that he couldn't participate in a Star Trek Trivia Contest because he wasn't licensed.

"Well then excuse me, _sir, _but I will then go and prepare a press briefing if that is okay with you." JJ retorted, trying to keep a lid on the anger that was brewing just below the surface.

"I would like to review that before you submit it, _Agent Jareau._" Hotch said unemotionally. The entire team watched the interaction like a ping-pong match, now turning to see how JJ would react. Each team member was baffled as to why Hotch was suddenly undermining the media liaison after they had just dealt with the incompetent ninny.

"Of course, _sir._" JJ said with mock respect as she stormed out of the room.

Everyone sat in silence as they contemplated what had just happened. Only one person knew fully what was happening, and Katie Cole just hoped that she could offer JJ the job before she ended up maiming her current supervisor. Though, if everything happened according to the plan she discussed with Strauss, Agent Hotchner would not be JJ's supervisor for long.

Finally, Morgan interrupted the silence, "JJ had a valid theory, I think it's worth checking out." He said, slightly cautious of their normally reserved boss.

"Then check it out on your own time." Hotch answered, "Wheels up in an hour." Leaving the conference room abruptly, he could feel the team watching him intently--but what JJ had done made him angry, and even though he knew his reaction was somewhat out of line, he couldn't bring himself to apologize.

* * *

"JJ?" Katie Cole asked as she knocked on JJ's closed office door.

"Come in." JJ snapped, not caring who was on the other side of the door.

"Are you okay? I've never seen him act like that before."

"I'm fine." JJ sighed, angrily cramming a few things in her desk drawer, "He was out of line, but I'll be fine."

"I think your desk drawer might disagree." Katie smirked, nodding towards JJ's now jammed drawer. Recieving a glare from JJ at her attempt to lighten the mood Katie continued, "Look, I just wanted to see if you were okay and remind you that the transfer to the CAC is still yours if you want it."

"Thank you, really, but I need to figure out what's going on here first." JJ sighed, "I can't leave like this."

"I understand." Katie nodded, "I've got to meet Amanda downstairs, she's bringing me my ready bag. I'll see you on the plane."

"Yeah, see you there." JJ said, although she barely heard the words, instead focusing on the words that Hotch had said earlier.

* * *

**A/N 2: So how did we do? Is it angsty enough for you?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds. **

**A/N: Here's the next chapter. :) Let us know what you think!**

**Chapter 3**

Making sure she was the first one on the jet, JJ made sure to secure the seat that would be completely across the plane from where Hotch normally sat. Realizing she had a few moments alone, she let her head fall into her hands---breathing deeply in an effort to relax.

"Everything okay?" Rossi asked, sitting beside her.

Cursing herself for not remembering that David Rossi was notoriously early everywhere he went, JJ sat back up--a fake smile plastered across her face. "Fine."

"So they did offer you the job out in California." Rossi surmised, "Planning on accepting their offer?"

"I wasn't, but then I get back and well...you saw." JJ sighed, "_I _just got offered the job this morning before the team got back, so why does Hotch think I've been sneaking around behind his back? And how does he even know they were planning on offering me the job?"

"JJ you know that in the FBI gossip spreads, and no one is immune sometimes--not even you, and Hotch." Rossi informed, "And since you and Will are no longer together there isn't really anything holding you here except for the team."

"How do you know that I ended things with Will?" JJ asked, shocked--she hadn't told anyone that she and Will had broken up two days ago.

"Your missing your ring. Before you wouldn't even take it off to wash your hands and now you aren't wearing it at all." Rossi informed as the team started filing onto the plane quietly.

"I hate profilers." JJ groaned, smiling slightly.

"So are you going to go?" Rossi asked, keeping things general to keep the rest of the team from knowing.

"I don't know." JJ admitted, grateful that Rossi wasn't about to reveal her possible promotion.

Rossi sighed as Hotch entered the plane, not wanting to cause his long-term friend heartache, but respecting the blonde too much to allow her to sacrifice her dreams said softly, "Make sure that you don't stay here just for the team. If you're going to stay, do it because it's right for you."

* * *

The case passed quickly, though it seemed an eternity to the members of the team because of the battle of the titans that they waited to occur. Hotch continued to undermine JJ, coldly voicing snide comments that showed his sudden distrust of the woman he had worked with for years. Rather than confronting him, JJ passively accepted his anger, all the while adding her own snide comments that never reached his ears.

Knocking on his door softly the morning after their return, JJ prepared herself for yet another onslaught. She entered, only to find him on the phone with his girlfriend.

"Yeah, I really missed you too, but last night was amazing." Hotch smiled. Seeing JJ enter the room, he stiffened.

"Valerie, honey, can I call you back?" He asked, extending his hand to insist that JJ sit down. Ending the call, he looked at his coworker unemotionally. "Agent Jareau, do you need something?"

"Agent Hotchner," JJ addressed him formally, not willing to use the familiar nickname she had always used, "I just came to inform you that I decided to accept a position as the head of the CAC in California."

"Congratulations." Hotch said, masking his emotions as he felt as though a hole had been ripped out of his heart.

"Thank you. I leave immediately, but it's been a pleasure working with you." She said, extending her hand as she fought her own emotions at his completely professional response.

"You were an asset to the BAU, one that will surely be missed during cases to come." Hotch responded, shaking her hand quickly before dropping it completely. "I assume Strauss will assign someone to your position until a permanent replacement is found?"

"SSA Elizabeth Appleton from White Collar Crime will be replacing me for the time being." JJ informed stiffly, "I apologize for leaving on such short notice, but I really need to head home and finish packing."

_Finish packing? So you had already decided to leave, I knew I wasn't wrong. _Hotch thought angrily, "Well then don't let me keep you, Agent Jareau. Have a safe flight."

"Thank you, _sir." _She stood and left his office quickly, not wanting to draw out the pain of leaving any longer.

* * *

"Jayje, it's not too late to change your mind." Garcia said, fighting tears as she hugged her friend goodbye.

"I just can't handle it anymore." JJ admitted softly, breaking from the hug and plucking her son from Emily's arms.

"So you're running away?" Morgan asked, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.

"What would you do?" JJ asked, her eyes pleading. The entire BAU, minus one conspicuous member, had come to the airport to wish JJ goodbye. Morgan was probably struggling the most with JJ's decision, while Reid seemed oddly understanding of JJ's need to get away.

"You're doing the right thing JJ." Rossi encouraged. He too had seen the pained look in the blonde's eyes at every mention of Hotch's new girlfriend, not to mention the angry "fights" between her and Hotch lately, and understood more than anyone how hard the decision was to leave the BAU. "They're lucky to have you in California."

"Thanks Dave." JJ smiled, hugging him briefly--out of everyone, she knew it would be David Rossi that understood her decision the best.

_"Flight 215 to San Francisco International via Delta Airlines is now boarding at Gate 23." _

"That's me." JJ said, trying to smile without really succeeding. "Every one of you had better come visit us."

"We will." Garcia whispered tearfully, everyone else nodding in agreement. "Bye my sweet boy."

Henry waved sweetly at Garcia, which brought out JJ's first real smile that she had, had all day. "I'll miss you!" JJ called out, walking away from the small group. Boarding the plane finally, JJ took a deep breath, "Well little man, I guess it's just you and me."

--

Hotch sighed as he watched what he assumed was JJ's plane depart from the airport. He knew the team was meeting her to wish her goodbye, but he couldn't bear to leave the car. He wasn't sure why he even showed up at the airport, but he didn't want to end his friendship with JJ with the way they had. He wanted to apologize, but for some reason he couldn't. Spotting Dave as he and the other team members left the airport, he quickly restarted his car and drove away, realizing at that moment that he had better hurry before he was late for another dinner with Valerie.

* * *

Two weeks passed by quickly for JJ and Henry who did their best to settle into life in San Francisco. JJ had asked her new friend from the CAC in Baltimore, Amanda, to make the move with her--but they still needed to finish filling out their new team.

"How are we ever going to be able to chose four agents out of over a hundred applications for transfer?" Amanda groaned, they had been pouring over files for the last week and had made little head way. "Not to mention we still need a Tech and a another Media Analyst."

"What the--?" JJ gasped, coming across two familiar faces in the many personnel files--one in the agent stack and one in the Tech. Quickly dialing a familiar number, JJ waited for someone to pick up the phone.

"Agent Morgan."

"Derek what's going on? I thought you loved the BAU." JJ questioned, concerned.

"I love_d_ the BAU, but it's different now." Morgan admitted. Hotch had been getting on everyone's nerves but Morgan couldn't take it anymore.

"I don't want this turning into everyone thinking that I went behind _someone's_ back to get you here, but I'd love to have you come out to California."

"JJ, I'm transferring, whether to your unit or not. I just feel comfortable working with you and--"

"Derek, if that's the case, then there will always be a position for you here. How would you like to start next week?"

"I'd say that sounds great." Morgan admitted, smiling.

"Then I'll take care of the paperwork and flight arrangements. See you next week!" JJ said happily, ending the call just to dial the number that JJ had expected would request a transfer to her unit.

"FBI, Technical Analyst Garcia speaking."

"Garcia? What's with the official greeting?" JJ asked, "The only time you ever answer the phone like that is when Strauss is around."

"Not anymore sugar bean." Garcia whispered, "The boss-man has gone crazy, Strauss crazy."

"Is that why you decided to leave the BAU to come to California?"

"So you got my SOS?" Garcia whispered again, "Please Angel, you have to get me out of here."

"Pen you knew before you applied that the job was yours if you wanted it, but why are you whispering?" JJ questioned.

"You don't know how it's been around here lately, Jayje. Something's going on with Hotch, something not good." Garcia answered, "He's starting to scare me a little."

"Well as of midnight I'll officially be your boss, so tell him to leave you alone." JJ encouraged, "Can you be here by Monday?"

"Of course my love." Garcia smiled, relieved--JJ always knew how to fix things or at least what she needed to hear.

"Good, I'll see you and Morgan then!" JJ added excitedly. Turning to a hopeful looking Amanda, JJ smiled, "Morgan and Garcia are joining the team, so now we only need three more agents and a media liaison."

"You got Garcia away from the BAU?" Amanda asked in disbelief, "I am amazed at your skills of persuasion."

"She's the one who came to me." JJ answered seriously, she really hadn't gone behind Hotch's back to recruit either of the BAU members.

"Whoa, JJ, I'm sorry I didn't mean..." Amanda quickly apologized.

"I know, let's just get back to work okay?"

"Right. Here look at this one." Amanda offered, handing JJ the file. "What do you think?"

Looking over the file intently, JJ found all the things she was looking for in an agent for her team. "I think you should call SSA Caitlin Booth and offer her the job." _Only two more to go..._

* * *

"The paperwork has already gone through, Agent Hotchner. There is nothing I can do." Strauss informed, "TA Garcia and SSA Morgan are no longer officially apart of the BAU."

"How did it go through without my approval?" Hotch asked angrily.

"Because they were specifically requested by a new unit forming. Under the circumstances, you're approval was not required nor wanted."

Hotch walked quickly out of Strauss's office to the Technical Analyst's. He knew _exactly_ which unit they were transferring to, and it didn't make him very happy.

"Technical Analyst Garcia." Hotch said sharply as he entered the room, noticing how his abrupt entrance had made the TA jump. "I do not appreciate finding out about your transfer through the Section Chief."

"With all due respect, I feel the need to tell you to back off." Garcia said strongly, proud of herself for standing up to the tyrant that had become Aaron Hotchner--her once and former friend.

"Excuse me?"

"Look, I don't know what's going on with you, but whatever it is you need to either fix the problem or get over it. You've changed, my friend, and not for the better." Garcia informed him.

"I am your superior, not your friend and I do not appreciate being disrespected." Hotch said coldly.

"Well as of tonight you are no longer my superior _or_ my friend." Garcia said, placing a few of her troll dolls into her large purse. Tense silence filled Garcia's small office, and was only interrupted when the office phone rang, "I need to take this."

"Go ahead, I do not mind."

"It's private." Garcia challenged, waiting until he stormed out of the office before answering the phone. "Garcia speaking."

"Hey baby girl." Morgan greeted, "So listen, I was thinking that since we're both transfering to the same place that we should use two of our personal days for the rest of the week and make a roadtrip out to California with out stuff. What do you think?"

"It's like you read my mind, Angelfish." Garcia smirked, knowing he could hear it in her voice, "I'll see you after work."

* * *

**A/N 2: So what do you think of JJ's new job?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds.**

**Chapter 4**

Hotch pushed around the peas on his plate with his spoon as he contemplated what had happened in his unit in the last month. He had lost three agents to another unit halfway across the country. They had abandoned him just like everyone else in his life had. He knew he hadn't been fair to JJ, but her admission of her acceptance to the CAC was almost more than he could bear.

"Aaron? Are you all right?" Valerie asked, interrupting his thoughts. He had invited her to dinner at his house, which she thought meant they were getting closer to moving in together, but instead he had been lost in his thoughts the entire evening.

"Yes. Sorry, I was preoccupied." Hotch apologized. "Actually, I really just need to take a walk, clear my head for a minute. Is that okay?"

"Sure, if that's what you think you need to do." Valerie nodded, "Do you want me to wait here?"

"Yeah, I'll be back in half and hour or so." Hotch informed, standing up from the table, "Thanks for understanding."

Exiting the house he just started blindly walking through the large neighborhood, hoping to make sense of his life over the past month. Passing house after house, he let his mind try and piece together what had caused JJ to want to leave the BAU in the first place, but came up empty. Finally deciding to call it a night after passing his own house multiple times, he headed towards the front door only to find a note taped to the door.

_'Aaron--_

_I decided to head back to my condo. Let me know when you get home, just so I know you're safe._

_Love, V.'_

Hotch grimaced slightly at the note realizing he had been gone far longer than he had indented to be, before walking up the stairs to go to bed. He had a difficult decision to make concerning their relationship, and as much as he knew she wanted him to ask, he wasn't sure if he was ready to ask Valerie to move in with him.

* * *

"Our stuff had better be here, Derek." Garcia grumbled as they exited the plane. Morgan had talked her into paying two of his cousins to drive their furniture from Chicago to California after they spent a few days with his mom--not to mention the fact that the moving truck could only go 60 miles per hour and California was over 2,000 miles from Virginia.

"It will be." Derek assured, "Why do you think I told them I would pay them when they got here?"

"Well if it isn't the Dynamic Duo." JJ smirked, standing next to a coffee stand as she waited to pick them up. "And I had someone check, your cousins are sitting outside your rental house in the moving van as we speak."

"Thank God." Garcia murmured quietly, hugging her friend. "I'm so happy to see you! Why didn't you bring my sweet baby?"

"You'll see him tonight Pen." JJ smiled, laughing slightly. "He's at daycare. Will called and said he might come out and see Henry this weekend, so I wanted to let him have some fun with his new friends before then."

"California agrees with you, JJ." Morgan grinned flirtatiously, "I had no idea you looked so _good_ in a suit."

"Ha ha." JJ joked, "C'mon guys, I want to drop by the office and introduce you to the team before I take you to your house."

"Lead the way, hot stuff." Garcia and Morgan smirked simultaneously, causing JJ to laugh heavily for the first time in what felt like months as they headed towards baggage claim.

* * *

"Agent Prentiss, this file is unacceptable." Hotch said, angrily throwing the file on Emily's neat desk. "Where is the police report from the Chicago Police Department?"

"You said you wanted the file in last night--no matter what. I was going to add the file once it came in, because it's not due for another three days." Emily reminded him, trying to keep a lid on her anger that was brewing near the surface.

"Next time, do it correctly." Hotch commanded as he walked away.

Emily watched with disdain as he returned to his office and closed the door before she turned to Reid. "I wish I could get out of here!"

"Just request a transfer. Everyone else has." He informed her, keeping an eye out for Hotch to avoid being caught in his crosshairs.

"I already did. It was denied. Dave tried to convince me not to leave the Bureau, but I'm not sure I can take him anymore." Emily admitted.

"Why was it denied?" Reid questioned, if Garcia and Morgan could leave, why couldn't they?

"Some bogus crap about the BAU not being able to survive if it lost any more agents on this team right now." Emily grumbled, "Basically Strauss just covering her own skin now that people are fleeing the BAU like crazy."

"I'm starting to think Garcia and Morgan sure had the right idea." Reid mumbled quietly, both he and Emily watching as Hotch reprimanded yet another agent who had only made the simple mistake of using a run on sentence in their final report.

* * *

"Derek Morgan, Penelope Garcia" JJ started, "I would like to introduce you to your new team mates---SSA Amanda Rodgers from CAC east, SSA Caitlin Booth from White Collar Crime, SSA Justin Todd from Organized Crime, and SSA Nathan Espositio from the Critical Incident Response Group."

Pleasantries were exchanged from all of the team members. None of them seemed to know each other very well, and with the exception of Morgan and Garcia, the team was comprised of agents from all over the country.

"We're going to have dinner at this really good sushi place off Fulton, so we can get to know everyone better then." JJ informed her friends, then turned to the group, "But I need to take Morgan and Garcia to their house and then we'll meet at Tsunami at six, okay?"

"Sure, whatever you say boss." SSA Espositio smiled, which looked a lot like flirting to everyone in the room but JJ. "I'll save you a seat."

"Thanks Nate." JJ said, offering a small smile. "See you guys later."

* * *

"So, that Esposito seems to have a crush on you." Morgan said carefully as they approached the home that JJ had arranged for him and Garcia.

"Nate? Please!" JJ dismissed, laughing slightly. "I'm pretty sure he's dating someone."

"Jayje, you have a son. How is it you are so clueless when it comes to guys?" Garcia laughed. "He's all over you."

"Yeah, okay guys--whatever you say." JJ dismissed, secretly feeling kind of flattered if Nate was actually flirting with her--which she highly doubted being that he could have any girl he wanted. "So what do you think of the house?"

"Oh Jayje it's adorable!" Garcia squealed, taking in the light green house that had a cottage like feel. "It's perfect!"

"Just wait til you see the inside." JJ informed, "The owners finished in the basement and added a pool--complete with a hot tub."

"Now that's what I'm talking about." Morgan grinned knowingly, "You can't go wrong with a hot tub and a lovely lady."

* * *

"Reid, can I speak with you in my office?" Rossi asked him quietly, trying not to disturb the raging Unit Chief who was currently in his own office. The entire floor was walking on eggshells around Agent Hotchner, trying desperately to do anything to avoid disrupting the man.

"What do you want?" Reid asked, shortly. He had a good idea what this conversation was going to be about, and he was not happy about it.

"I want to know why you're trying to quit the FBI." Rossi said, getting straight to the point. There was no use beating around the bush.

"I applied for a transfer. It was denied. I can't work here anymore." Reid admitted, "I'll go teach at a university. Or maybe get a research grant. I just can't work here anymore."

"Reid, the BAU needs you. You can't leave." Rossi commanded him.

"Everyone else seems to be just fine with leaving." Reid retorted.

"Look, kid. Believe me. Aaron Hotchner has changed. But this unit needs to survive. In order to do that, it needs you and Emily."

"I'm not promising anything, but I'll wait a few more weeks before I turn in my resignation letter to Strauss." Reid answered, giving in slightly.

"That's all I'm asking." Rossi said, _Now I just need to figure out what's making Hotch act like this._

* * *

"So, one day, naturally, I drag our young JJ to--" Garcia started as the rest of the table leaned in to listen intently.

"Oh, no!" JJ groaned, laughing slightly, "not this story."

"Button it Sugar Cakes, I think they all deserve to know your amazing seductive abilities." Garcia retorted as the table erupted in laughter. JJ shot Garcia a look of mock hatred, but the technical analyst simply ignored her friend. It was a relaxed atmosphere and while JJ could pretend she didn't want embarrassing stories to be shared, it was good for team morale.

"So, one day, I drag JJ to the horse race in Kentucky. Old Garcie here had one too many, so Jayje decided that she'd just drive us home. I didn't know that my petite friend is a _terrible_ driver. She's got a foot made out of led, and I swear she should have killed us with the way she was weaving in and out of cars."

"I'm not that bad." JJ defended.

"Jayje, I've driven with you before. You _are_ that bad." Morgan teased as the others laughed heartily at the new revelation about their boss.

"Thankfully, the highway patrol of the great state of Kentucky was doing their job because no sooner had JJ passed her umpteenth car than we see the flashing red lights. At first, he thought she was drunk. Then she pulled out her badge and tried to tell him we were on a case."

"You lied?" Amanda nearly choked on her drink as she turned to JJ incredulously. She had only been working with the blonde for about a month, but she was meticulous about following the rules.

"Unfortunately, he didn't buy it, but then JJ flashes a winning smile at him, and hands him her license, pointing out that it is her correct phone number and he can 'call her anytime'." Garcia batted her eyelashes as she impersonated JJ.

"So you flirted your way out of a ticket?" Morgan asked laughing with the others, "that's despicable."

"Oh, tell me you wouldn't have done it if it was a girl cop." JJ accused, laughing at Morgan's 'who me?' look. "Okay, okay, enough about me. So Justin, why are you in the FBI?"

"To annoy my mother." SSA Todd joked, "No seriously, I'm from Boston and I grew up watching mob violence all around me. During my junior year of high school my neighbor was shot and killed during a drive by shooting between to families--the Milligan's and the O'Callahan's. After that I realized I had to get out of there so I got my GED, joined the Army and the rest is history."

"So that's why you joined the Organized Crime Unit?" Morgan asked, sipping his beer. "We worked a few cases with the Baltimore office we I was still in the BAU."

"Oh Josh is a pretty awesome guy, we actually went to college together." Justin smiled, "But, yea. That's why I decided to join the Organized Crime Unit. At first I was afraid that people would be suspicious when I suddenly stopped walking the straight and narrow, but they weren't--I just seemed to blend in like nothing ever happened."

The group nodded, understanding. They had each had many friends that had dropped out of law enforcement only to get caught up on the other side of the law.

"What about you Caitlin?" Garcia turned and asked the agent, formerly from White Collar Crimes.

"After my husband and son died, I just wanted to make a difference." Caitlin shrugged. "It's been five years now, and I submitted to this unit because I felt like there wasn't much room for progression and I hated watching some investigations be shut down because the firm had a friend who was a senator." She sipped from her drink.

"I'm sorry." Morgan offered, "How did they pass away?" He asked curiously.

"Car accident." Caitlin smiled sadly as she pulled out a picture of her and her family, "The other driver ran a red light and walked away. John and Aiden were killed on impact. I have to believe they are in a better place. But that's enough sadness for tonight, anybody up for another round?"

"Sure, I'll come with you." Amanda offered, standing and following her new team mate back to the bar.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: So the angst continues, but Hotch will have a revelation in the next one—we promise! :)**

**Chapter 5**

JJ sighed as she rode the elevator to the familiar sixth floor. She was in Quantico, reporting to the Director how her unit had achieved such impressive success after just two months in activity. The Director wanted to implement certain changes around the Bureau to make every unit more efficient, and had sung praises to the blonde's leadership. Now, however, JJ was currently dreading what might await her as she stepped off the elevator. She had decided to visit Reid, Emily, and Dave, but prayed that she wouldn't run into her former boss.

Stepping into the familiar BAU bullpen, JJ smirked as she saw the look of shock that passed over both Reid and Emily's faces.

"JJ? What are you doing here?" Reid asked, standing up to hug his friend. "Is everything okay with Henry?"

"Henry's fine, Spence." JJ smiled, "I'm just here for the day. The Director wanted a full briefing on my Unit."

"Oh yeah, we heard about that child trafficking ring you guys busted up last week." Emily informed, hugging JJ as well, "Morgan called and told us all about how you were the one to figure out that the principal at the Elementary School was in on it."

"It was a joint effort." JJ diverted, she really hated talking about herself.

"Reid, Emily." Hotch commanded, coming out of his office, "Briefing in five minutes, I suggest you be there. Have a good day, Agent Jareau."

"I swear, he's only going to have a briefing because we're having a rare moment of excitement." Emily grumbled.

"Oh, I'm sure he can't be that bad." JJ said sweetly. While she and Hotch departed on some questionable terms, she always had respected him. The Hotch she used to know was the best boss in the world. But now, she was beginning to believe to rumblings that had followed Morgan and Garcia to California.

"JJ, he has suffered an extreme shift in personality. One that only comes after a mental break or a huge catastrophe." Reid whispered exasperated.

JJ shrugged. "You two should go before he gets irritated." She gave both of her friends quick hugs, glad that she got to see them again.

As Dave, Emily and Reid settled into the conference room, along with Hotch and the temporary replacements found for half of their team. They hadn't bothered learning names, they already knew that the new recruits wouldn't be here for long. They could tolerate Hotch out of loyalty to who he used to be, but the new agents hadn't gotten the opportunity to meet Hotch before he turned into the Tin Man personified.

"We've got a case in New Hampshire." Hotch informed the team.

"What kind?" Emily relented. If she had to do her job, she might as well do it right.

"The UNSUB is strangling women in their homes." Rossi told her. "Was that JJ?"

Emily nodded excitedly. "Yeah, she's here for--"

Hotch interrupted. He didn't know why he had no desire to hear about JJ's life away from the BAU, but he couldn't bear to hear her talk of how happy California made her. "Back to the case, Agent Prentiss." Hotch commanded.

Then a peculiar idea manifested itself into the mind of David Rossi. While Hotch had been a pain to work with these last few months, he got measurably worse when there was any talk of JJ. He was sure that this couldn't be the case, Hotch after all had a girlfriend. "Hotch, how is Valarie?" Rossi investigated. While Emily and Reid had been receiving the brunt of Hotch's anger, there was nothing the irritable unit chief could do to the legendary profiler that would be condoned.

"She's good." He shrugged. "She's at home unpacking."

"Why was she packing?" Emily asked curiously, wondering if Valarie was running away from the monster who had become Aaron Hotchner too.

"Agent Prentiss that is enough." He barked.

"Why was she packing?" Rossi picked up Emily's question, smiling at her.

"We're moving in together." For news that designated a somewhat happy connotation, Hotch didn't even let the smallest smile penetrate from his lips.

"Why would she want to do that?" One of the replacements whispered. Emily laughed appreciatively, maybe the rookie agents weren't so bad after all.

* * *

_They're moving in together? _JJ thought miserably, she had forgotten how at the BAU you could hear everything that was going on in the conference room out in the bullpen area. Ignoring the lingering feeling of someone in the conference room watching her leave, she managed to hold her tears in until she made it all the way back to her bureau SUV in the parking deck.

Sitting there for a few minutes to let the tears stop, JJ was immediately glad that she had waited until after her meeting with the Director to go and visit Reid, Emily, and Dave--she would never have been able to meet with the Director with mascara smeared all down her face like it was now.

Finally stopping the tears and partially righting her make-up, JJ turned on the SUV and put it in drive. Exiting the parking deck and heading for the airstrip, JJ would never know that if she had been only five minutes later in leaving she would have seen the team heading for the airstrip as well.

As Aaron Hotchner boarded the BAU jet, he saw another plane take off in the distance. He tried to stop the pang of longing that suddenly overtook him, hoping that was not the last time he would ever see Jennifer Jareau--though the sinking feeling in his stomach let him know that it probably would be.

* * *

While the CAC in California continued to have record breaking success, the BAU was falling apart at the seams. Dave had continually convinced Reid and Emily to give it two more weeks, at the end of which, he would go to them again, begging for two more weeks. Several agents had been in and out of the BAU, never staying long with Hotch breathing down their neck. Finally, David Rossi had enough.

Knocking sharply on his office door, he prepared himself for the battle that he knew was coming. Entering the office, he got right down to business, "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong with me, Dave." Hotch answered, casually writing something down on a case file. "Everything is fine."

"Right, sure everything is just fine and dandy." Rossi said angrily, "And that's why you're running this unit into the ground. I'm not going to let you do it anymore, Aaron, either fix whatever the problem is or resign--if you don't I'll have you removed from your post. A lot of people worked too hard to make this unit what it is today, including myself, and I'm not going to let you waste all that effort when we gave everything we possibly had up to give it."

"Dave I--"

"No, stop. If it's Valerie, then break up with her. If it's the job, then quit. If it's what happened with JJ, then get over it--she's gone and has been for almost six months now. But if you don't stop breathing down everyone's necks and jumping down people's throat's I'm going to have to step in. I've had to beg Reid and Emily to stay for over three months and that stops now."

When Hotch started to speak again, Dave held up a hand, silencing him, "JJ called, she and Morgan agree that they need our help on this case." Rossi commanded, tossing the large case file down on Hotch's desk, "Wheels up in twenty minutes, we're briefing on the plane."

* * *

Hotch sat quietly in his seat going over Dave's words, while the others started going over the file and the preliminary profile Morgan had constructed. Realizing that he couldn't deny what Dave had said, he decided to let the case play out like he used to--only reprimanding someone if they seriously impended the case.

"According to the file, we have three victims--Anna Parker, Polly Harris, and Lena Meyer--ages ranging from 6 to 8." Emily informed, reading directly from the file. "All the victims had dark hair and blue eyes, and while none of them know each other, all of their parents have admitted to taking them at different times to the same Chuckie Cheese inside the Peach City mall."

"So he has a type that makes him a preferential offender." Reid mused, "Autopsy reports list 'drowning' as the cause of death, but they also found barbiturates in the victims systems which led the ME to conclude that they were unconscious when they were drowned. There was also evidence of sexual assault on each of the three victims."

_"Agent Rossi, we'll be landing in twenty minutes." the pilot announced politely. _

"Okay, good. JJ has given us full access to her team and any contacts and information they have." Rossi announced, "Let's stop this one at three."

"I'm afraid that's going to be impossible" Emily said sadly, "Garcia just sent me a text saying they just found another body."

* * *

"Agent Prentiss, why don't you go back to the precinct before you contaminate the crime scene. We don't need your negligence, or a repeat of the Cartwright case." Hotch ordered shortly, he was trying to keep himself calm, but being around JJ made it harder than he thought possible.

Emily glared at Hotch angrily, when Rossi begged her to stay next time, she was saying no. She was out of this unit as soon as she could turn the paperwork in. "Yes, sir." She said shortly, grateful for the compartmentalization that protected her from lashing out against her boss.

As Emily walked out hurt, JJ finally turned to face the man that she used to trust. "What is your problem?"

"My problem? I'm just dealing with the collective incompetence that my unit is exhibiting." Hotch defended coldly.

"It's no wonder no one wants to work in the BAU anymore. You're just a big bully." JJ shouted, glad that they were alone. While normally a pacifist, she couldn't let him tromp all over her friends anymore. "I don't care if you hate me, but why are you punishing the people loyal to you?"

"I don't hate you." Hotch said out of reflex, admitting to himself that it was probably a lie.

"Yes you do." JJ let out a derisive laugh. "I don't know why, but you do."

"I'm not the one who left." He justified.

"What was I supposed to do? You practically begged me to leave." JJ cried indignantly.

"It was better for you to leave than to stay in the BAU with political aspirations that you'd sell the team out for."

"Political aspirations? Sell out the team? I wasn't even going to take the job until you forced me out the door." JJ shook her head angrily.

"Well, maybe it was a good thing. You might actually be there for your son without the job being in the way." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew that he had just dealt a low blow.

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black." JJ smirked to herself emotionlessly. "I'm a moron. For a while, I actually thought I had feelings for you, but it turns out; You are nothing but a jerk."

"What?" He asked confused.

"Yeah, I said it. You're a jerk." JJ repeated.

"No, not that part. You had feelings for me?" He raised an eyebrow incredulously.

"I might have, but then you turned into the monster formally known as Aaron Hotchner, and I was in California." JJ admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You were--are in a relationship. What was I supposed to say?" JJ bellowed.

"Anything, but instead you jetted off to the other side of the country taking half the team with you." Hotch snapped, his anger rising again.

"I didn't take them with me. They came running after you became the Hitler reincarnate." JJ defended, "Now are you going to be able to work this case without insulting anyone else? I won't have you disrespecting anyone on my team."

"With all due respect _Agent Jareau,_ I will not disrespect anyone on your team, but you will allow me to discipline the agents under my area of responsibility as I see fit." Hotch said, exuding an air of authority to discourage her opposition.

"And those agents won't be under your area of responsibility much longer." JJ spat out before walking silently to the car.

* * *

"Ugh! Garcia why do I let him get to me like that?!" JJ questioned, still angry at the situation with Hotch.

"I don't know Angel." Garcia answered honestly, quickly minimizing the window she had been working on her computer.

"I mean, who knew he could be so infuriating? I worked with him for years, and I can't stand him!" JJ fumed.

"I don't know." Garcia replied.

"Is that all you can say?" JJ asked furiously, then realizing her snappish behavior, immediately apologized. "Sorry."

"It's fine." Garcia waved off her friend. "I just don't know what more I can say."

"Well, let's get back to work, have you found anything?"

"Other than the fact that they could be the identical twins of any future offspring you and the angry Hotch man have together--raven black hair, bright blue eyes--nope, I've got nothing connecting them."

JJ snorted slightly, shaking her head at Garcia's antics, "We are _not_ getting together--_ever._"


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds.**

**Chapter 6**

"Hey, JJ, I've got to go, it's Maya." Amanda whispered to the blonde that was leading the briefing.

"Sure." JJ nodded as the other woman got up to leave.

"Agent Jareau." Hotch said sharply before Amanda could leave, "I think it is extremely unprofessional to allow your agents to come in and leave whenever they would like."

"With all due respect, Agent Hotchner, it is none of your business." JJ retorted hotly, then turned to Amanda, "Tell Maya to feel better, okay?" She said, dismissing her colleague.

Angry eyes from the members of the CAC joined the looks from his own team and turned to glare at Aaron Hotchner. "Hotch, I can understand you being an ass with us, but leave her alone." Morgan cautioned angrily.

"Why? Because this unit just leaves whenever they want? It's a miracle that anything gets done around here with such lax leadership." Hotch grumbled.

"Listen here, angry person," Garcia defended her new coworker, "Amanda is the nicest agent I've ever met. She's a single mom with a daughter that has cerebral-palsy and they're doing the best they can. She has to leave sometimes, and we all watch out for her. It's how a _team works_, but I'm sure you don't know what that's like." She spat out angrily at her former boss.

Aaron Hotchner felt sick. As he looked into the eyes of each member that sat at the conference table, he realized how he had been slowly destroying the very people that he cared about. The unit that had destroyed his marriage--the unit he had spent his lifetime building--was crumbling beneath him. He knew the very reason that he was acting this way, and he knew immediately that he would no longer tolerate himself acting this way. Things were going to change. Starting right now.

"I have something to say." He announced, ignoring the furious glances.

"I think you've said enough." Nate grumbled.

"Agent Hotchner, while I appreciate your leadership, we have a case to continue, and I will not allow you to railroad every agent here." JJ dismissed.

"Please." He said, startling the agents that had worked with him in his downward spiral, "I realize I have been a jerk, I just wanted to say--"

"Agent Hotchner," JJ looked at him coldly, "with all due respect, there is an UnSub out there killing little children. There are more important things to worry about than your conscience."

"You're right, I'm sorry." Hotch added, silencing his thoughts until a later time--he needed to apologize to these people individually, and really all he could do was pray they would understand. "Please continue."

"Thank you" JJ nodded, her eyes going over him, questioning his change in demeanor. "Justin, tell us what you and Caitlin found when you re-interviewed the victim's parents."

"We went to talk to Laura Kent's parents like you asked, JJ, and they told us that they took Laura to Stow Lake to feed the ducks and to rent a few paddle boats, you know the ones that you use your feet to move across the water?" Justin started, waiting for JJ's nod of understanding. When he got it, he continued, "Well after both parents felt that the man renting the boats was watching Laura a little too closely for their liking, they decided to not rent a boat that day."

"After they told us that, we went back to the other parents and all of them had similar stories" Caitlin added, picking up where her partner left off, "Polly's mom usually took her to the lake on the weekends her dad had to work, Anna's dad would take her to the lake to remember her mom who died of cancer two years back--it was the mother's favorite place to go, and Lena Meyer went to a birthday party at the lake two weeks before she disappeared."

"But if that's the case then why didn't that come up in Garcia's search?" Nate questioned.

"Because, sweet cheeks, Stow Lake is a cash only venue." Garcia informed, "Trust me, my parents used to take my brothers and I there all the time when we were kids."

"Good job guys." JJ congratulated, "Garcia can you find me the name of the man in charge of the boat rentals?"

"Sure thing." Garcia smiled, typing into her laptop quickly, "You're looking for a man named Ray Holt, he's owned the rental stand for the last ten years. I sent his picture to your hand helds."

"Okay, Morgan can you take Justin and Nate and go pick up Mr. Holt for questioning? I think it's time he answered for a few things." JJ stated, "And be careful, we don't know how he's going to react to three FBI agents picking him up for questioning."

"Yeah, yeah. We'll be fine _mom." _Justin teased, his relationship with JJ resembling that of a brother and sister. "Don't forget it was you that got hurt during the Patterson case, not us."

"Yeah, and I still have the scar from where the UnSub got me with that box cutter." JJ yelled as her three "brothers" left the conference room, "Wear your vests!"

"Yes mom" came the reply from the three men as they left the room. Caitlin smirked slightly, used to the familiar banter.

"You were cut with a box cutter?" Emily asked her friend, slightly worried.

JJ smiled, "Yeah, it was nothing. The UnSub surprised us from behind and slashed, it's only about a quarter of an inch on my back." She dismissed easily.

"Nothing?" Garcia asked incredulously. "We had Derek and Justin almost in tears with that little escapade."

* * *

Hotch stopped outside the hospital room, willing himself to go in. He couldn't believe that it had happened. Ray Holt had offered up another lead, and when both teams went in for the takedown, the UnSub got one lucky shot off before he was taken into custody. That lucky shot happened to pierce Agent Jareau's--_JJ's_, he corrected himself--shoulder.

He walked into her room, only to find her finishing getting dressed as she prepared to leave the hospital.

"JJ, I—"

"Save it, I know. I put myself in danger. But I am no longer your concern." She reminded him hotly, informing him once more of how he had alienated those that meant the most to him.

"I just wanted to say that I know why I've been acting this way. The thought of not having you in my life has been unbearable and I realize now that I've been taking it out on everyone else."

"And that's supposed to make me feel sorry for you? Sorry, I don't." She retorted as she put her jacket on slowly, ready to leave--she had always hated hospitals.

"JJ, I'm in love with you" he informed pulling her closer to him, mindful of her injury and kissed her like he had wanted to since the first time he saw her. She softened into him, then suddenly seemed to tense and pull away. "JJ—" He started.

"Go back to your girlfriend, Hotch. I've moved on." She lied, angry that he had put her in this situation. She would never allow herself to be the other woman, and Hotch was in a committed relationship.

He stood there, slightly dumbfounded as she grabbed her badge and gun and walked out of his life for the second time.

* * *

**A/N: So how are we doing? Is everyone still enjoying this?**

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds.**

**Chapter 7**

Aaron Hotchner had never been on to ask for help easily, always preferring to push just a little bit harder to get the job done, and that's what made what he was about to do even harder. Since they had arrived back from California he had not been able to stop noticing how everyone seemed to tense up when he was around, or simply avoid him all together--even the janitors seemed to go the other way when they saw him coming--and now that made him all the more desperate to fix all his wrongdoings over the past few months.

Knocking on Dave's office door, he waited for the signal before entering. "Dave, I need your advice."

"Why? Wondering how to resign? Ask Prentiss, I'm sure she'd help you. Probably fill out the paperwork for you." Dave grumbled.

"No. I've been a monster and I want to change. I need to convince the team that--"

"Don't you get it?" Rossi interrupted, "there is no more team. You made sure of that."

Hotch winced at how true the words were. They were no longer functioning as a team. He had clamped down on everyone, making all decisions go through his approval. By withdrawing his trust from the agents he worked with, he had decimated the team. By constantly belittling them, he had wiped out any remaining evidence of cohesiveness that had been present.

Dave noticed the effect his words had on the younger man, and against his better judgment offered, "If you want to fix it, you're going to have to show that you trust these people as a team. Otherwise, I don't think I can stop Emily or Reid from quitting the Bureau and moving as far away from you as possible."

"But what about the others?" Hotch asked, somewhat hoping that there was some way he could go back in time and make sure that none of this had happened. He wished he could have stopped JJ and subsequently Morgan and Garcia from fleeing the BAU, but instead, he had practically pushed them out the door.

"You know, I respected you once." Dave muttered, "Now I realize that you are an idiot."

"You think I don't know that? I've been acting like a tyrant, I admit that--"

"That girl loved you." Dave interrupted.

"What?"

"JJ. You should have seen the way she looked at you. Even when she was with Will, I could see it. She was taken, you started dating someone--believe me, I get it. But then you blew your chance."

"How do I get her back?" Hotch asked, knowing that although he had never been in a relationship with her, he needed her.

"You don't. She deserves better than you." Dave said bluntly, and Hotch had to silently agree. JJ deserved far more than a life with a workaholic and being the brunt of passive-aggression. "But breaking up with Valerie would be a good start at getting yourself back to the person we all used to trust and respect, and maybe after awhile JJ will see that you have changed and give you another chance to win her heart. Maybe."

"I already ended things with Valerie, she moved out three days ago." Hotch confided, pinching his nose between his eyes, "I couldn't let her go on believing that we could become something more after seeing JJ again and realizing that I'm in love with her--it wasn't fair to Valerie."

"Agent Rossi!" Agent Anderson yelled, bursting into Dave's office, "Strauss just had Emily and Dr. Reid personally escorted to her office, Emily told me to find you and let you know."

"She what?!" Dave asked incredulously, "Doesn't that fool of a woman ever learn. I'll handle this, thanks for telling me Anderson."

"Yes sir." Anderson nodded, leaving the office as quickly as he arrived.

Picking up his desk phone, Dave dialed the Director's office, "Cynthia, this is David Rossi. I need you to patch me through to Director Mueller immediately."

"He's in a meeting with the Director of Homeland Security." Cynthia, the Director's secretary, answered.

"I don't care who--" Dave started, only to be cut off by Hotch.

"Wait, Dave I'll handle this. I'm the one who messed up, not Prentiss and Reid, let me fix this."

Moments later Hotch entered the Section Chief's office without knocking. "Agent Strauss, I demand to know what's going on in here."

Emily and Reid winced, prepared for yet another verbal onslaught from their boss. "I was just telling Agents Reid and Prentiss that I will be placing a formal reprimand in their files."

"Ma'am, with all due respect, Agents Reid and Prentiss are some of the best Bureau assets that we have employed in the history of the bureau. It would be a disgrace to assign blame where none is deserved."

"I'm sorry?" Strauss asked, unsure she had heard the man in front of her correctly. "And who exactly should I be reprimanding if not these agents, who you, yourself reprimanded in their yearly evaluations last month?"

"I am the one who lost focus and the ability to do my job, not Agents Prentiss and Reid." Hotch informed, barely noticing the shocked look on Reid and Emily's faces, "If anyone is going to be disciplined, it should be me."

Eyeing Hotch evenly, Strauss decided to take Hotch at his word--she remembered all too well the horrifying details of his job and could easily understand how a person could lose focus in his specific position. "As per your request then, Agent Hotchner, a formal reprimand will be placed in your file and you are suspended for one week without pay. You may all go."

Walking out of the Section Chief's office, Emily and Reid looked at Hotch in shock. He smirked slightly at their gaze, not sure if he needed to explain himself further. Deciding it was best to air what had happened, he started, "I know I have no right to try to ask you to stay after all I've put you through, but I am sorry." He said, walking away.

Emily and Reid stood dumbfounded at the apology from the superior they had come to detest. Watching him walk away, Reid turned to Emily and asked, "What just happened?"

"I have no idea." Emily replied.

* * *

Two weeks later, the BAU was slow beginning to regain its status in the FBI, all due to the change in direction taken by Hotch. It had been hard trying to win over the trust of the teammates who had previously showed so much contempt for the Unit Chief, but Emily and Reid were coming around. Both were still treading cautiously, hoping that the change in Hotch was now permanent. The last thing anyone in the entire FBI wanted was for Aaron Hotchner to relapse.

But for the most part, the faith that the BAU used to have in Hotch was beginning to resurface. Emily and Reid were both actually coming in early to work, something that they had stopped doing during the 'Reign of Terror'. While Monster Hotch could make them be on time, he couldn't make them take the extra mile in their jobs. That was something they had to do on their own.

"Any idea what's going on?" Emily questioned as she and Reid rode the elevator up to the BAU's floor. She had received a call from Dave just after 3am saying they had a case and to get back to the office immediately, and by the look of Spencer Reid he had received the same message.

"No clue." Reid answered, still trying to tuck in his shirt after hastily getting dressed on his way in--though he would never admit to getting dressed as he waited for a red light to turn green.

Exiting the elevator, the two profilers barely made it into the bullpen before they were bombarded by Hotch and Rossi who were waiting for them. "No time to explain, we'll brief on the plane." Dave informed, ushering Emily and Reid back into the elevator, followed by Hotch.

"Can you at least tell us where we're going?" Emily asked as the elevator doors closed.

"California" Hotch said sadly, "SSA Amanda Rogers's daughter, Maya, was kidnapped just after midnight tonight. JJ called and asked for our assistance immediately."

* * *

A few hours later, they landed at the airstrip at the California field office. JJ, Morgan, and Caitlin were waiting anxiously as the other members exited the plane. "Hotch." JJ said coldly, not knowing his recent change in demeanor, "thanks for coming on such short notice, we need your help."

"You can brief us on the way inside. Where's Amanda?" He asked.

"She's inside with Garcia, she's a little freaked out." Morgan said sadly.

"A little?" Caitlin asked incredulously. "Her daughter was kidnapped and now is up for sale by a pedophile, I would say she's a little more than 'a little freaked out'."

"Up for sale?" Hotch asked as they entered the building behind JJ and the other CAC members.

"One of my informants called me after I talked to you early this morning." JJ informed, leading the way into the large elevator, "He told me he was contacted by a man who wanted to sell a child on the black market, basically an illegal and untraceable adoption, and the seller wanted to know if my informant knew any local couples that would be interested. My informant asked the seller to send him a picture of the child and he would ask around, and get back to him in two days--the picture the seller sent was of Maya watching cartoons and the time stamp on it was just after Amanda realized she was missing."

"So we know he's keeping her somewhere nearby" Emily mused, "Was Garcia able to pull any identifying factors from the photo of Maya?"

"No." JJ sighed sadly as they exited the elevator onto the CAC's floor, "Unfortunately this UnSub is very organized, and so far he has shown himself to be extremely smart. So, we've devised a plan that we would like to run by you as soon as possible."

"We're listening JJ." Dave informed as they filtered in to the conference room where Nate and Justin were already working.

"The plan is to send two agents undercover as potential buyers." JJ answered, taking a seat next to Morgan, "Garcia can set up everything we need to have myself and a male agent go under as a married couple looking to adopt a child, and my informant has agreed to help us by setting up a meeting with the UnSub if we chose to go through with the plan. All we need is the UnSub to bring Maya to a meeting and we have him."

"That's slightly unconventional," Reid admitted, "participation in child sale auctions is a criminal offense in itself--"

JJ looked at Hotch defiantly, as though daring him to disagree with her as she said, "I don't care about criminal offenses, I care about that little girl and getting her back to her mom."

All of the occupants in the room turned to look at Hotch. The CAC members were surprised at the small nod and firm tone, "Let's do this. I'll volunteer for the undercover operation."

"I'm sorry? What did you say?" JJ asked, stunned that Hotch would put his job and his life on the line just to help find the daughter of a woman he barely knew. "Are you sure you want to do this? If this goes bad we'll be dealing with worse things than getting fired."

"If you can put yourself on the line to save this little girl then so can I. This is a joint operation and that means we need one member of each team to be a part of the undercover operative--you volunteered for your half and I'm volunteering for mine." Hotch explained, hoping his changed demeanor was showing through a little in his words. "I can handle the fallout if this goes bad."

JJ stared at him, baffled. Looking over Hotch's shoulder, she saw Emily nod imperceptibly to show her approval. JJ shrugged and quickly recovered herself. "Alright. We have a meeting with my informant later this afternoon. So I'll go tell Garcia to set up the identities and information. Morgan, you can lead the briefing."

"Garcia," JJ said softly as she walked into the room where Penelope and Amanda were quietly looking through surveillance footage taken from the traffic light cameras in the immediate area of Amanda's house "We're a go on the undercover op."

Garcia nodded and quickly pulled up the ready screen. "I have to get her back JJ." Amanda said softly, a single tear falling down her face.

"It will be okay Amanda, we'll find Maya. I promise."

Amanda sniffed, and nodded, believing her new friend though the situation seemed bleak. "I'm going to go get some fresh air."

The two other women nodded and Garcia waited until Amanda had left before turning on JJ. "I'm surprised the angry former-boss-man is letting this happen."

"You'll be even more surprised when I tell you that he agreed to go undercover with me." JJ admitted, not quite comprehending the situation herself.

"Really? Mr. "I starched my underwear too much which is why I'm cranky" Hotchner agreed to do something unconventional."

"Yeah." JJ shook her head in disbelief, "he said that he can 'handle the repercussions'."

"Hmm," Garcia said curiously, "do you think he's turned into nice-boss-man again?"

"I don't know, Garcia. I really don't know."

* * *

Two hours later, JJ and Hotch left the California field office and headed for the small coffee shop to meet up with JJ's informant. "Alright, are you ready for this?" Hotch whispered, surprising the blonde at his side.

"As ready as I'll ever be." JJ said, eyeing him curiously. "Are you ready?"

"I hope so." Hotch informed softly as he pulled into a parking space at the meeting place and turn off the small SUV that the FBI had issued for their undercover operation.

Looping her arm through his as they exited the vehicle, JJ allowed her best fake smile to slide onto her face. "Okay, let's go introduce the world to Aaron and Jenny Taylor, a lawyer and a kindergarten teacher."

Knowing that the organized child abductor was likely following their informant, JJ and Hotch knew that they had to play it convincingly. "After you." He smiled chivalrously as he opened the door for her, allowing her to enter the small coffee shop before following after her.

Sitting down in one of the brightly colored booths, a waitress cheerily took their order as an slightly older man--JJ's informant--slid in the booth across from them. "The Taylor's I presume?" The informant asked the question being predesigned to inform them that the child abductor was listening via a recording device, "I believe I spoke with you sir, on the phone this morning about adopting a child."

"Yes sir" Hotch nodded as the young waitress came back with their regular coffees and left the check, "You did, but to be honest we really did not expect you to match us with a child so quickly. You have to understand that we only just found out that my wife is unable to have children naturally two months ago."

"I am sorry to hear that" the informant, Mike, nodded. "But sometimes things work in mysterious ways. As for the child, it is fortunate that you called me this morning because she was only recently placed up for adoption."

"So, tell us about her." JJ said eagerly as she tried to keep her anticipation at bay. She knew that Mike knew her well, and that this conversation was simply a formality, but she couldn't help but imagine Henry in Maya's situation and her heart bled for her new found friend.

Hotch squeezed her hand comfortingly and she looked up at him with gratitude. "Money is no option." He added, as though it mattered.

"As you know, our services are a _delicate_ operation." Mike explained. "But let me talk to my contact and see if I can arrange a meeting with you and the child, and if all goes well then we can sign the adoption papers afterwards."

"Thank you, we are available anytime." JJ reassured, sounding every bit like a woman eager to have her own child, "Just let us know when and we will be there."

"I'll be in touch." Mike said as he stood to leave. Now all they could do was wait.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: So this is the second to last chapter, we hope you like it! Let us know what you think in a review. :)**

**Chapter 8**

It was an excruciating hour and a half later that Mike called the number that they had set up to arrange a 'meeting' between JJ and Hotch and the Unsub. JJ practically pounced at the phone, "This is Jenny Taylor."

"Mrs. Taylor, I'm calling about our meeting. My friend would like to meet you at four o'clock tomorrow."

"Okay" JJ answered, purposefully sounding hopeful incase somehow this UnSub was listening in to the phone conversation, "Where are we meeting your friend?"

"He requested that he meet you at four at the Mountain Lake Park" Mike, the informant, informed. "Will that be a problem?"

"No, that sounds perfect!" JJ said, letting a little fake excitement creep into her voice, "We'll be there." She answered before hanging up.

"Well? What's the plan?" Hotch asked from where he stood in their cover apartment, with as organized as this UnSub was, they weren't taking any chances. "Are we meeting the UnSub?"

"At four pm tomorrow." JJ nodded, already reaching for the untraceable cell to call the team and inform them of the meeting.

"So, you've got to teach school tomorrow?" Hotch asked, trying to make conversation. Ever since they had started this, it was obvious that JJ tried to limit her contact with him, but he could tell that she was curiously studying him too.

"Yeah" JJ sighed tiredly. While she loved kids, she wasn't sure how she was going to pull off the whole teacher for a day thing. "At the private school just a few blocks away--John Jay Elementary."

"Oh, okay. I'll pick you up afterwards and we can go to the meeting from there if that's okay with you." Hotch offered, not wanting to assume things had changed between them because he had offered to do this assignment with her--he knew she was going to need time to figure things out and he was willing to give her all the time she needed.

"Yeah, that's fine." JJ nodded, allowing herself a small smile in his direction. Trying to make conversation to keep things from getting any more awkward between them, she asked, "Hey do you want to order Chinese or something? I skipped lunch and now I'm starving."

"We're not that far from Chinatown, I'll just go pick up something." Hotch smiled, grabbing the keys to their cover SUV. "Do you want to come with me?"

"Actually I kinda need to figure out what I'm going to do with 25 five year olds tomorrow, sorry" JJ apologized, digging in her purse for her check card, "Here, you can use my debit card to pay for it, just get me a--"

"An order of fried rice and MooShoo pork, and an egg roll." Hotch answered, cutting her off, "I remember what you like JJ, and I've got this, don't worry about paying for it."

"Thanks," JJ smiled, beginning to believe that maybe Hotch had changed from his previous angry ways.

* * *

By noon the next day, JJ was regretting the choice to go undercover as a school teacher. They thought that by being a teacher, they would appeal to the UnSub more. What she hadn't counted on was twenty five children that made her want to pull out her own hair. Some of the kids were worse than others, and some of them were actually pretty good--but twenty five of them at once made her realize that she had made the right choice in deciding against becoming a teacher like her mother.

A knock on her classroom door startled her slightly, and she only relaxed when she noticed Hotch on the other side. Letting him in the crowded room, she felt a small blush reach her cheeks when the kids started cooing "Ooh...Mrs. Taylor has a _boyfriend, K-I-S-S-I-N-G." _

"Hey, I just wanted to come by and see if I could each lunch with you." Hotch smiled, laughing slightly at the children in the room that were watching them intently--not failing to notice a few of the boys who looked sad at the fact that their beautiful teacher was already dating someone.

"Sure" JJ answered, smiling back as she glanced at the clock on the wall. "As long as you don't mind hanging around for another thirty minutes, we don't go to the lunch room until then."

"Sounds perfect." He smiled, sitting down in the back of the class.

Seeing that the little children were still staring at their new guest, JJ reminded them of their current task. "Okay guys, let's get back to our craft." She had been following the lesson plan from the usual teacher meticulously and her respect for both the teacher and her mother and anyone else who dealt with children all day on a regular basis had grown immensely.

Hotch watched with semi longing as he watched the blonde float around the room and assist the young children in adding glitter or glue to the large cards that they were making. He felt a small pang of longing, remembering how she had confessed she had feelings for him. If he were man enough to admit it, he would agree that he had feelings for her since the first time he saw her, but life never worked out the way you wanted it to. He had been married at the time. When his marriage ended, he was devastated. By the time he was ready to start another relationship, she announced that she was pregnant with Henry. Timing was just not on their side.

She smiled at him as he realized that she had just caught him staring at her. He smiled back, trying to hide the redness that crept up his cheeks. Deciding that he was no longer going to sit and watch, he began to pace around the room, assisting various children with whatever they needed.

---

JJ smiled faintly as she watched Hotch sit down next to one of the girls who, if she had not known better, could be mistaken for his daughter. Allie Martin was the only child in the room with Autism, and the only one who had not spoken to her since she had arrived that morning. At first, JJ had wondered if the girl was just extremely shy until another teacher had informed her that Allie was autistic, but somehow Hotch seemed to have connected with Allie on her level and the two were talking and working quietly across the room.

There was something different about Hotch, something that had not been there since before she left the BAU, but she liked it all the same--could he really have gone back to the man she had almost fallen in love with?

The lunch bell rang, startling her slightly, "Oh, okay. Everybody just leave all our supplies out and we can clean up after lunch." JJ informed warmly, "If you brought your lunch from home make sure you grab it from your cubbie, and I'll give you some germ-x once everyone lines up."

The children did as they were told, and JJ noticed that one child seemed reluctant to let go of Hotch's hand as they stood at the back of the line. When she reach them with the hand sanitizer, JJ crouched down to Allie's level, "Allie would you like to eat lunch with me and Aaron?"

Allie nodded excitedly, and JJ smiled and stood up. "Okay, can you show him where to go in the cafeteria?"

Allie nodded again, and JJ smiled down at her before turning to address the rest of the class. "Okay, Sarah since you're the line leader for this week lead us to the lunch room please."

"But Teacher, its a nice day--aren't we s'posed to eat outside?" A little boy called out hopefully as the class nodded in agreement.

"Oh, well if that's what we are supposed to do." JJ smiled. "Lead us to the lunch room, and then we will go to the outside tables."

As the class of small children marched off to lunch, JJ laughed at the sight of Hotch, bent over uncomfortably, holding Allie's hand. Jack was a lucky kid to have a father like that, she only wished that Henry had been so fortunate.

* * *

"Mrs. Taylor, Donnie put a booger in my applesauce!" one of the boys called from the other end of the table, "He says he didn't, but I know he did!"

"Did not!" Donnie argued, "Mrs. Taylor I didn't put my booger in his applesauce, I put it in his sandwich!"

Laughing slightly at the fact that Donnie had just told on himself, JJ stood to go and fix the problem between both boys. Once she was out of earshot, Allie spoke up, "Mr. Aaron, I think she likes you."

"Who? Mrs. Taylor?"

"Yes silly." Allie teased, "I think she wants you to ask her to marry you." The little girl informed, clueless to the fact that JJ's cover identity was _Mrs. _Taylor and not _Miss _Taylor.

"Okay, Allie, what makes you think that?" Hotch questioned, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"She looks at you like my mommy looks at my daddy." Allie supplied innocently, "She loves you, I know it."

"I wish you were right." Hotch said as he looked at JJ fondly.

* * *

As the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period. "I guess I'll see you after school" JJ said, smiling softly. She wouldn't soon forget the way that Allie had attached to her former boss.

"I'll be here at 2:45 and we'll go straight to the park." Hotch informed, smiling back. "I'd better go, I'll see you later." He offered, waiting to kiss her, but deciding against it--he hoped Allie was right about JJ, but he didn't want to put pressure on her if she wasn't ready.

"Bye." JJ waved, surprising herself that she was slightly disappointed that he hadn't at least kissed her on the cheek.

The rest of the day passed slowly for both JJ and Hotch. JJ couldn't help but stare at the clock, waiting with bated breath for the chance to recover her friend's daughter. Hotch, however, had nothing to occupy his time but wait for the time that he could pick up JJ from school so he spent the next two hours pacing in their cover apartment going over Allie's words and also the coming meeting with the UnSub in his head.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: So this is it, the final chapter. We hope you like it. :)**

**Chapter 9**

It was time. JJ couldn't help but feel anxious as she and Hotch entered the large park, waiting for any sign of Maya. If she looked hard, she could identify each agent that was casually walking around in the park--each blending in as park workers, or just random people enjoying the park.

After what seemed like minutes, a tall, thin man and an unconscious Maya who was either passed out or asleep, entered the park. "Target spotted. Do you want us to take him down?" Morgan asked from his position of throwing the football with Justin.

"No, we need him to make the transaction first." JJ reminded, moving closer to Hotch unconsciously as the man finally approached them.

"The Taylors, I presume?"

"Yes, I'm Jenny, this is my husband Aaron." JJ didn't have to feign the nervousness in her voice. If this went wrong, she wasn't sure if she could live with herself.

"You have the money?" The thin man asked.

"Right here." Hotch said authoritatively. Even a trained profiler could have easily mistaken his normal stoic facade for a husband trying to assert himself as the dominant male.

"Pleasure doing business with you." The man replied as he handed Maya over to JJ who held her protectively. Hotch quickly put his arm around the pair and led them a safe distance away while JJ whispered "Take him down."

* * *

"How is she?" Amanda asked frantically as they entered Maya's hospital room to find JJ and Hotch talking quietly. The kidnapper had been taken down without injury, and Morgan and Justin were currently interrogating him.

"She's fine." JJ soothed, holding Amanda's hand, "The doctor's ran a few tests and they said the only thing he gave her was a sedative, which was probably to keep her from screaming out in the park. Other than that Maya is extremely healthy."

"Did he--?" Amanda asked fearfully, not able to speak the word _molest, _but she did not have too, the entire room knew what she was asking.

"No, not as far as the nurses can tell." JJ smiled hopefully, we'll know more when she wakes up, but I don't think so."

Amanda breathed a sigh of relief and JJ smiled as she saw Garcia run into the room to find her friends. Garcia had kept Amanda company while the rest of the group participated in the takedown. JJ had wisely chosen to keep Amanda back at the office in case something went wrong.

"Mommy?" A small voice from the bed asked, jerking everyone's attention to the small girl.

"Yes, baby, I'm here." Amanda couldn't help the tears from falling at the sight of the little girl.

Seeing the tender moment between mother and daughter, JJ quickly made eye contact with the others and they slipped out of the room, unnoticed as Amanda threw her arms around her daughter.

Garcia nodded and mumbled something about jelly beans and a stuffed animal as she headed off to the gift shop and JJ and Hotch stood awkwardly in the hall.

"Hotch, I just wanted to say 'thank you'. It meant a lot that you would help one of my agents--" JJ began.

"There's no need for thanks JJ, we're friends. That's what friends do for each other." Hotch informed quietly, sliding his hands in his pants pocket.

"Friends, yeah okay--friends." JJ agreed, pushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear. After a beat of semi-awkward silence, she spoke again, "Let me know when you, Dave, Reid, and Emily get ready to go back to the airstrip and I'll drive you."

"You don't have to do that." Hotch replied after a moment, unsure of what to say. He would miss JJ far more than he'd like to admit, but he had his chance and blew it. There was no use trying to change the past.

"Erm...Alright, well, um..." JJ sputtered, far from her usual eloquent self. "I guess this is goodbye then."

"I guess so." Hotch nodded, reaching out his hand. "It was a pleasure to work with you again."

JJ took the hand gladly, but longed for more. "As it was with you."

"Take care, JJ." He smiled wryly as he turned toward the door.

"Bye Hotch." JJ whispered to the fleeting figure. She was sure it wasn't supposed to end like this, it felt all wrong. He shouldn't be leaving--actually he should be leaving, but not without her. It had taken her a few months to realize it, but DC was her home, no matter where she moved to. No matter where she worked, the BAU was where she wanted to be. But the realization came too late, she had made up her mind months ago and couldn't go back. There was a time where she could have been courageous and tell Hotch how she felt, but that opportunity was a long time ago. So she resigned herself to watch the man of her dreams walk away.

"He's different from the last time he was here." A voice surprised JJ a moment after Hotch was out of sight. She had been too lost in the moment to notice Amanda come up next to her.

"That's how he was when I used to work with him." JJ confided quietly. "I've never worked with a better man."

Amanda nodded. "Without him, I don't know how we would have gotten my daughter back." She paused a minute before slightly altering the conversation. "He's pretty cute too."

"He's alright." JJ suppressed a smile.

"He's better than alright, or else you wouldn't be blushing." Amanda said knowingly. "JJ, don't let him get away."

"Hotch lives back in DC and he used to be my boss. And he used to have a girlfriend. I don't think me and him would be such a good idea." JJ lied.

Amanda groaned. "Level with me. Do you like him?"

"Yes." JJ admitted, her voice hushed.

"Then go." Amanda smiled. "He's a good one."

"You know what? You're right. Thanks Amanda, I owe you!" JJ yelled, running quickly down the hall towards the stairs, hoping to catch Hotch before he left the hospital.

Running quickly down the five flights of stairs to the ground floor, she somehow managed to catch him as exited the ER--probably saying good-bye to Morgan who was having his arm stitched up.

"Hotch! Wait!"

"JJ? What are you--" he started, but she cut him off by fusing her lips to his. At first JJ felt some hesitation, making her worried that she had waited too long. All doubts however subsided as she felt him deepen the kiss, pulling her in closer to him.

After what felt like both an eternity, and no time at all, the pair broke apart. They were silent for a moment, taking in what had just happened before Hotch spoke first. "What did that mean?"

"I lied when I said I was over you." JJ confided. "I wasn't in love with who you were being, but I'll always be in love with who you are."

He wrapped his arms around her small waist, both pulling her even closer, and steadying her shaky balance. That kiss had been mind-blowing, and had seemingly knocked her off her equilibrium. "Can you forgive me for letting you walk away? For becoming a monster to the few friends I had?"

JJ nodded. "Only if you can forgive me for being a coward and fleeing across the country so that I wouldn't have to deal with watching you with Valarie. OOOH Valarie!" JJ remembered. "What's uh--what is going on with you and her?"

"We broke up after I came here last time." He smiled. "I thought she deserved more than someone who only wanted her as a distraction. JJ, I love you." The words felt so right coming from his mouth, he had been waiting forever to say them.

JJ leaned up and kissed him--albeit less extravagantly--again. Pulling away after a few moments, JJ let her small hand ghost across his flushed cheek. "So does this mean Henry and I can stay with you until we find a new apartment in Virginia?"

"It means I want you and Henry to stay with me forever."


End file.
